Yearbook Club: The Yearbook staff contains 6th, 7th, and 8th grade volunteers who create a school yearbook for John Witherspoon. Students design the layout of the book which is available for students and faculty to purchase. Art Club: The Art Club at John Witherspoon is open to all grade levels and usually meets alternate weeks after school for one hour. The focus varies from specific projects planned just for the Art Club, to perhaps designing and making posters for a school function, or maybe the club will have an artist visit and demonstrate his/her talents, then the club members will try their hand at the same. Field trips are planned to places like the Mercer County Teen Arts Festival – a day of great workshops, the State Teen Arts Festival – another wonderful learning day, or the club has also taken trips to visit the Princeton University Art Museum.

Mathletes: A weekly club that meets from November through February of each school year. Activities include playing math games, getting extra help or participating in MathCounts practices. MathCounts is a national foundation sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers, CAN, and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Students engage in warm-ups and work-outs in preparation for the annual regional competition which can lead to state and national competitions. Sixth through eighth grade students are encouraged to join the club. MathCounts regional competition is open to seventh and eighth grade students. Science Bowl: The National Science Bowl (NSB) is a highly competitive science education and academic event among teams of high school and middle school students who compete in a fast-paced verbal forum to solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math. Each team is composed of four students, one alternate student, and a coach. Regional and national events encourage student involvement in math and science activities of importance to the Department of Energy and the Nation. Other sponsors include: Dow Chemical Co. Foundation, General Motors Foundation, Phillips Petroleum Co., Texas Instruments Inc., 3M Foundation, and NASA.

Stage & Lighting Crew Students who choose to participate in Stage and Lighting Crew (SLC) learn to coordinate stage setups and lighting for rehearsals and concerts of JW performing arts ensembles, as well as providing similar services for many community organizations, with their colleagues. They learn in detail what is required in “setting” a stage for both vocal and instrumental performing organizations. The SLC members learn how to read and implement stage floor plans and develop the skill for changing the stage from one setting to another in a matter of minutes. In addition, experienced SLC members learn how use the computerized lighting board and become responsible to ensure correct lighting for concerts, drama productions, etc. One important outcome for SLC members is, through the guidance of the advisor, to be able to function, collaborate and coordinate all which is necessary for successful stage and lighting responsibilities as a team. Drama Club: The John Witherspoon Drama Club for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders meets throughout the school year. Students participate in theater games, workshops with professionals in theater, and the production of a performance. Do Something Club: Princeton Regional Schools, as part of the New Jersey Character Education Initiative, has integrated the Do Something Character Education program and service learning into our school. Do Something is a national school based program committed to building community leaders through service learning and civic engagement. John Witherspoon Middle School students plan and carry out a wide variety of community service projects. The service projects are documented by students through media production. Students learn how to make movies and music using available software and hardware. They learn still photography and create picture slideshows. This club is made up of all interested students in grades 6, 7, and 8. Little Tiger School Store:Students who are early birds and arrive to school a little before 8:00AMare encouraged to volunteer at the school store. Volunteers help fellow students in selecting school supplies, demonstrate how to use various items, add up sales, learn to make change and assist in the selection of reordering and purchasing new inventory. Little Tiger School Store hours: 8:00 am – 8:20am in the Commons September and October – five days per week November through June – Monday, Tuesday and Thursday Board Game Club: Game On “I sunk your battleship!” “ Uno!” “ King me!” These are some of the things you might hear if you walk down C-wing on Wednesday afternoons. The Board Game Club meets in room C-106 from three to four on most Wednesdays. The club started last winter and is up and running for its second year. All 6th and 7th graders are welcome at the club.

The JW Newspaper: The JW newspaper, “The Commons” contains 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who write, edit and publish an online newspaper about our school and our community. The newspaper is available for the public through the John Witherspoon website. PPS Girls’ Club (Powerful, Positive, Strong): The PPS Girls’ Club is a club for all 6th, 7th and 8th grade girls. The club encourages girls to work together to develop supportive friendships between grades while helping to develop strategies to assist girls in developing assertiveness, positive self image and confidence. The club meets twice a month after school, using interactive hands on activities to empower girls to deal with the challenges of adolescence in a positive, constructive manner. Topics discussed are self esteem, health and wellness, anti-bullying, media technology, peer pressure, strength in friendships and self confidence. Robotics Club: Robotics club is a great way to design and build machines with Legos. Students program their machine to complete a certain task, using the easy Lego Mindstorm NXT software. Students work individually or in groups to think critically, collaborate and problem-solve to successfully answer design challenges. If students enjoy working with Legos, building creatively, or if they want to learn how to program a robot, then they should come out and join us.

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